Everyone got their “Just Desserts” at Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Donor Appreciation Event
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to make your favorite dessert using one of the legendary Girl Scout Cookies as your inspiration and ingredient? For the almost two decades, this event has proven you can do just that, and you are indeed unlimited by your own creativity!
For over a century, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto has worked to strengthen the abilities of young girls while reinforcing their resolve to be themselves unapologetically. Backed by mentors, adult volunteers and millions of alums, this organization has led the way in helping young girls and teens find their voices. The Cookie Program first began in 1917, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in their high school cafeteria as a service project. It never fails; a good idea can last a lifetime!
Over the years, the cleverly named “Just Desserts” event hosted by the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto has transformed into a Donor Appreciation evening. Ten chefs, ably assisted at the event with Girl Scout helpers, donated their time and talents to create dessert dishes inspired by and made from all the Girl Scout cookie offerings. In addition, lucky media personalities, which included Channel 2’s Amy Davis, Channel 39’s Sharron Melton, popular radio DJ and podcaster Freddie Cruz, Hot On Houston’s Valerie Sweeten and others, including “yours truly,” were asked to judge the competitors under quite a few categories. We were accompanied by our Girl Scout assistants, who skillfully aided in choosing our group of winners.
Marguerite Woung Chapman, Board President, welcomed guests to this fun-filled evening and invited them to sample the eclectic sweets and the delectable savory bites at the buffet that Junior League of Houston provided. Then, with everyone waiting in anticipation, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council CEO Mary Vitek gave closing remarks and presented the awards to the excited competitors.
Receiving awards for their creative dishes were: Lick’d, GÜD Sugar, Chuckwagon BBQ, Crumbville, TX, The Woodlands Resort, Southern Sweets Bakehouse, Koffeteria, Cheesecake Queen, HTX Nitro (who also won a Legacy Award for his long-time participation), and Salt and Sugar Texas (People’s Choice Award and my personal favorite!). Not all the chefs were recognized only at a local level for their culinary talents; Chef Vanarin Kuch of Koffeteria was a competitor on Bravo’s “Top Chef,” and GÜD Sugar chef Jennifer Harding Hill recently competed on Food Network’s “Holiday Baking Competition!”
The Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council will share recipe inspirations from the competition on their social media channels through the end of the cookie sale (which goes through March 26th this year) to inspire customers to get creative with their Girl Scout cookies at home.
For 106 years, the Girl Scout’s Cookie Program has inspired many, as it promotes the entrepreneurial skills that will benefit these young ladies for life. For more information on their good works, visit them at www.gssjc.org.
